Live Updates: Washington Commanders vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers in NFL wild card round

After a lackluster first half, the wild-card game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers came alive in the second half with back-to-back highlight touchdowns.

In the end, the Eagles won 22-10 to advance to the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

The game started with all the markings of a contest that would give many points. The opening kick was dramatic and joyful for the home fans. Lincoln Financial Field went wild when former Green Bay linebacker Oren Burks delivered a massive hit on Keisean Nixon who fumbled.

The Eagles came out of the scrum with the pigskin and the umpires initially agreed with them. The play was reviewed and stood with Philadelphia starting with the ball deep in Packers territory immediately.

On the third play from scrimmage, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts found Jahan Dotson in the back of the end zone for the game’s opening score within the first two minutes of the contest.

Eagles star running back Saquon Barkley — who enjoyed a historic regular season by rushing for over 2,000 yards, nearly breaking Eric Dickerson’s all-time single-season rushing record — and Hurts both had big runs in a first-quarter drive, that ended with a Jake Elliott 31-yard field goal to put Philly up 10-0 through the first quarter.

The Packers’ defense kept Green Bay in the game as Hurts and the Eagles’ offense went quiet in the second quarter, with Hurts either being rushed into forced incomplete passes or sacked.

The Eagles’ defensive unit posted a shutout but got beat up in the process — both Darius Slay Jr. and linebacker Nakobe Dean had to leave the field in pain. Dean was wheeled to the locker room.

Green Bay was finally able to move the ball – stringing together several first downs in a second quarter drive. Tight end Tucker Kraft kept the drive alive by converting a direct snap on fourth down for another set of downs. The drive stalled and normally reliable field goal kicker Brandon McManus uncharacteristically botched a 38-yard kick to the right to keep the score 10-0.

The Eagles got the ball first in the second half only to be stuffed by the impressive Packers defense. On a third-and-19, Green Bay stopped Barkley at the line of scrimmage, triggering the infamous boobirds inside the stadium.

It was a strange yet familiar sound, even with Philly leading the game.

The game stalled after a scary moment when Love targeted Romeo Doubs in the end zone. Doubs, wearing a Guardian Cap after suffering a concussion earlier in the season, fell awkwardly and his head appeared to whip against the turf.

The third-year receiver remained down on the turf for several minutes as he was attended to by medical personnel while Packers players knelt around him in prayer. Doubs was eventually helped to his feet and walked off the field with the assistance of Green Bay trainers. The Packers later announced that he was being evaluated for a concussion.

After play resumed, the Packers got on the board through a McManus field goal.

The Eagles’ Dallas Goedert quelled the earlier boos with an incredible run for Philadelphia’s second touchdown of the night. Goedert caught a short pass to the left from Hurts facing upfield and fended off Carrington Valentine with a series of stiff arms to find the end zone. The tight end’s tough play stretched the lead to 16-3, with Elliott missing the extra point.

That score was followed by another wow game. On the ensuing drive, it was Josh Jacobs’ turn to make a memorable moment, running through and over Eagles defenders for 31 yards. His jersey was stretched out behind him as the defenders hung on as best they could. He was initially flagged for entering the end zone, but was ruled down just short of the goal line. Jacobs pounded the ball into the end zone on the next play to give the Packers their first touchdown of the game to cut the lead to six at 16-10.

The Eagles answered with a 30-yard field goal from Elliott to make it a two-possession game by a score of 19-10.

On the Packers’ ensuing possession, Jacobs limped off the field with an apparent leg injury after a 14-yard catch, leaving the Green Bay offense shorthanded again. Without their workhorse, the Packers’ offense stalled again.

Green Bay turned the ball over on downs, resulting in another Elliott field goal to extend the lead to 22-10.

Now in desperation mode, Love heaved a deep pass into the end zone, but Eagles cornerback Quinyon Mitchell came down with the ball, Love’s third interception of the game.

From there, Philadelphia was able to run out the clock to cement the victory.